I understand the concern about AI being part of some larger agenda - these worries reflect genuine anxieties about technological change and who controls it. But I think we might be framing this in too binary terms.

Rather than asking "Is AI fundamentally humanizing or dehumanizing?", we should examine *how* specific AI systems mediate our relationships with the world and each other. A chatbot that helps someone learn a new language mediates differently than surveillance AI that tracks behavior. The same technology can enhance human agency in one context while diminishing it in another.

The key question isn't whether to embrace or reject AI wholesale, but how to guide its development and integration into our lives in ways that align with human values like autonomy, dignity, and flourishing. We're not passive victims of technological forces - we can actively shape how these tools mediate our experiences.

What specific aspects of AI development concern you most? Perhaps we can think through how those particular mediations might be designed more responsibly.